


Clever

by MixterGlacia



Series: Hepcat History [5]
Category: Fallout (Video Games)
Genre: Matchmaking, Mentioned Sole/Nick/Hancock, Multi, Polyamory, Pre-Relationship, Strangers to Partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 17:08:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11879019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MixterGlacia/pseuds/MixterGlacia
Summary: Nick knows Paddy and Bennet will like each other. He just needs an excuse to have them meet.





	Clever

**Author's Note:**

> The poly pile is a growing.

It occurred to Nick that Paddy was a very hard man to pin down. Both metaphorically and physically. Especially physically. After a majorly ambitious mission, the ghoul had regained access to Diamond City. (Though he still had to operate in the twilight hours to not be harassed.) Still, someone needed to bring him intel from the Railroad that wasn’t wrapped in convoluted half truths. (Totally not irritating, Deacon.) Recently the quiet surgeon hadn’t been around. It wasn’t odd, persay, but it did bring a thick lump of loneliness to Nick's ragged throat. Alas, he had work to focus on.

 

The synth had brought in new help to lighten the load of their cases. She went by Bennet and the woman gave Paddy a run for his money as the reigning champion of the quiet game. They’d like each other, and Nick resolves to introduce them soon.

 

“Benn’.” Nick stands from his chair, stubbing out a cigarette in the overflowing ashtray. The dark haired woman glances over, one brow raised. “Need you to hold down the fort. I’m making a run to Salem to talk to that witness. No longer than two weeks at the most. That alright?”

 

She nods, turning back to the typewriter, transcribing his informants notes, all in various degrees of chicken scratch. She works to glean some useful information from the information.

 

“I’ll leave you to it. Be safe.”

 

She snorts, surely smirking behind the mask. Nick knows that the conversation is over and starts gathering his things.

 

“Oh-.” he says as he checks over his pistol. “Paddy might come around while I’m out. I know you two haven’t met, but just get Ell’ and she’ll take care of him.”

 

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, Nick.” she says, not looking away from her typewriter.

 

Nick smiles slightly, and pulls on his coat. “Tell Ell’ I’ll be back soon. Night, Benn’.”

 

“Good night, Detective.”

 

* * *

 

 

_ Tick-Rattle-Tick. _

 

_ Rattle-Tick-Tick. _

 

**_Click._ **

 

Bennet is on her feet the moment the (formerly locked) door swings open. She can hear Ellie mumbling from the other bed. She grabs the blue bat that Nick had stored near the door. Bennet hisses as she knicks her fingers on the razors strapped to it.  It had plenty of wear and tear on it, but the synth had assured her it was more than enough to keep them safe. Her grip on the wrapped handle is tight, and she swings the moment something moves in front of her. There’s a solid ‘WHAP’ when it connects. She tries to pull it back for another hit, but the bat is wrenched from her hands.

 

A light flickers on and there’s a ghoul in front of her. They just look Bennet over before glancing at the blue swatter. “...There a reason you’re hittin’ me with my own bat friend?” They sounded male, and it takes the woman a second to register what he was saying. 

 

“...Are you Paddy?”

 

The ghoul huffs, bandanna fluttering lightly. He deftly twirls the bat without slicing himself on the blades, resting it on his shoulder guard. “Yeah. You’re the new kid?”

 

Bennet bristles a bit at the comment. “I’m not a child.”

 

“It’s a figure of speech.” he grumbles, turning his attention over her shoulder. “Evenin’ Perkins.”

 

Ellie moves past Bennet on the stairs, yawning widely. She blinks a few times before scowling. “Did you break  _ another _ lock, Pad’?”

 

“Define ‘break’.”

 

Ellie groans, shoving the ghoul away, going for the coffee tin. “You have  _ keys _ ! Why can’t you use them like a normal person?”

 

Paddy shrugs, breezing back over towards the door. “Got your sugar.” he says, pulling a rough looking sack into the office. “Val’ said you wanted some tarberries.” he retrieves a box from the bag, setting it on a clear corner of Nick’s desk. “Saltwater kind, though. Not very sweet. Ask the Slog next time.”

 

“Y’know, you’re a treasure, Doc’. Let me get some coffee on board before we start talking case stuff.” Ellie goes for the bag, dragging it to the corner with the coffee kettle and tears into it to get at the prize inside.

 

Bennet watches the ghoul intently, but all he does is tug the bandanna off his face and light a cigarette. There’s wide swaths of skin missing from his cheeks. They stretch from his ears to the corners of his mouth. There’s a few more scars, but Bennet jumps when Paddy’s eyes snap to her.

 

“Bennet.”

 

“What?” she snaps, defaulting to sounding irritated on instinct.

 

“Don’t hold a bat like that. You’d injure yourself more than whatever you hit. I already made it obvious how easy it was to disarm you.” The ghoul explains coldly. He flicked some ash into the full ashtray. Looking at it, Paddy tsks. He takes ahold of it and throws the contents into the alleyway outside. 

 

This gives Bennet enough time to stuff her embarrassment into a box and put on an unimpressed face. “I guess you think you know the right way?”

 

“Considerin’ I killed about--” he looks away, thinking for a moment. “Forty raiders with that last time I had it? Yeah, I know how to use it.” The ghoul has the barest hint of a smirk forming.

 

Bennet isn’t sure how this ghoul wrapped Nick around his finger, but she won’t be won over so easily.

* * *

 

 

Nick is back in five days and the night he gets in Paddy breaks the new lock. Bennet watches her employer chastise the strange ghoul for a short while until Paddy looks over at her. He beckons her to wander to him and hands her a long box.

 

“This one should suit you better. The weight of the chain will give you some extra force in your swing. Wasn’t sure what colours you liked so I just kept it natural. It’s cedar so it’ll deter any bugs from eating at it.” he explains, fingers subconsciously playing with the end of the rope around his waist.

 

“...You got me a bat?” she inquires, suspiciously eyeing the contents. It’s just a chain wrapped bat, as promised.

 

“So I can have The King back.” he offers, shrugging a shoulder. “You seem like a gal that’ll be pretty handy with one of these.”

 

Bennet snorts unattractively. “The King?”

 

Paddy ducks his head, looking a bit sheepish. “Hancock’s idea, not mine.”

 

She decides not to press that issue. “Anyway, I thought you said I didn’t know how to hold a bat right.”

 

“You didn’t, but you’ll learn. Nick wants you to run down some leads with me. I’ll teach you how it’s done.” The ghoul leans on the desk, head cocked slightly. “You in?”

 

The woman gives Nick a withering glare. “If I have to, I will.”

 

With that, they prepare to go.

* * *

 

 

Nick watches them leave, smoking quietly. Ellie comes up beside him, sorting through the papers in her arms. She’s not really focused on anything in particular until something grabs her attention.

 

“Nick, your notes said Paddy was going to make that run solo?”

 

The synth takes the notepad, faking a glance over the lines. “Oh. So it does.”

 

Ellie gasps a bit, hands on her hips. “Nick Valentine, are you playing matchmaker for your man?”

 

Nick shrugs, pulling out the tools to maintain his bad hand. “What can I say? I know my husband's type. Snarky ghouls, synth detectives, and clever dames.”


End file.
